Water-shut-off valve



Patented June 7, 1927.

TATS' UNITE AE' VFFICE.

FREDERICK GFELLER, 0F ALHAMBRA, CALIFORNIA.

WATERLsHUT-orrcvALvn.

Application filed March 10, 1925. i Serial No;'14,1i'.65'.

This invention relates to improvements in valves, which are especially adapted to be between the ends of the conduits to prevent i. shown in section being Itaken on the line' the passage of fluid therethrough and this disc-like closure is actuated by a hydrau` lically operated piston which is reciprocable in the shell formed in the body. By arranging the construction of the valve in such a manner that the piston is reciprocable in the valve body instead of a separate cylinder, the size of the valve is greatly decreased, and other advantages will be made manifest in the following detailed description.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device for controlling the passagevof Huid iiow through a conduit, and to associate with that device means for determining the quantity of Huid passing through the conduit when the fluid is allowed to pass therethrough. In other words,` it is an object of the vinvention to provide-a valve and means Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved valve;

0 Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken substam. tially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

' Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through the valve and is taken-approximately on the line 3-3 of Fig'. 6; t

Fig. '4 is a plan view of the valve, parts Fig 5 is a longitudinal vertical section `through the valve;

Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the valve,-

parts being broken away and shown in section, approximately on the line 6-6 of Fig.. v

' prevent the passage of Huid therethrough.

5; and

Fig. 7 is a. vertical section 4through the valve taken upon the line 7-7 of Fig. 5.

wherein similar reference characters designate similar parts throughout,.the improved valve consists` of a body` generally designated at 10. This ,body provides-a cylinderor shell 11 and a pair of conduits 12 and 13 extending into the shell from opposite sides thereof with their ends which are adjacent each other disposed' in spacedrelation. Although the shell ll'and the conduits 12 and 13 may be made of separate parts and secured together, the shell or cylinder 11 and the conduits 12 and .13 'are preferably formed from a single casting, makin these parts integral with each other. A jacent the top and bottom of the shell or cylinder 11` there are formed flanges 14 to which ma be secured flanges-.15 `of end closures or onnets 16. The conduits 12 and 13 are. provided with interior surfaces which are somewhat shorter than the conduit 12 constitutes an inlet conduit to the valve and the conduit 12 constitutesv an outlet from the valve. The conduits 12 and 13 adjacent their outer ends arel provided 'withA flanges 17 or other suitable means for connecting these parts to adjacent ends of pipe sections in a pipe line 0r the like. Upon the sides of the conduits 12 and 13 thereare formed ribs 18 which connect the conduits 12 and 13 within the shell 11 to thesides of the shell, and also form a partition in conjunction with the lconduits 12 and 13 between the top and bottom of the shell 11. The inner ends of the conduits 12 and 13, which are disposedv Referring to the', accompanying drawings.

convergent toward the center of the shell 11 seat 20 which is circular in form and is This closuremember is approximately rectangular ,4in form andmay be hollow, as

'los

formed of shown in Fig-5. A face 22, which may be brass, lbronze' or other suitable material, is adapted to be mounted upon the closure member. so as to bear against the` seat 20. The flanges. 19 upon the inner ends --of the conduits 12. and 13 provide a guide the conduits.

for the closure when it is inserted orwithdrawn from between'the adjacent ends of The cylindrical shell 11 is of 'a suiiicient height above the conduits 12 and 13' to provide a cylinder in which is reciprocable a p iston 23 `whichmay beprovided lwith piston rlngs 24 or other suitable packing, as desired.

A stem 25 extends thro'ugh the `piston 23 and has its lower end threaded into the closure member 21. A nut`26 is also threaded upon i ton 23 and studs 30 extend downwardly through the rib 29 and are threaded into the Yclosure 21. Nuts 31 may be threaded upon the studs. and in this manner the studs 30 cooperate with the stem 25 in securir ltudinally ternal diameter substantially equal to the inthe piston upon the top of the closure.

member '32 is formed integral with the closure 21 and has a' bore 33 extending longitherethrough. This bore has an internal diameter of the conduits 12 and 13 adjacent their inner ends. When the closure 21 is positioned between the conduits 12 and 13,

the member 32 is disposed .within the lower end of the shell^11. When the closure 21 is withdrawn from between the conduits so as tol open' the valve, themember 32 occu ies L the space between the ends ofthe con uits so as to form a comparatively smooth and contlnuous passage through the valve. The member 32 -is provided with a plurality `of peripheral apertures 34 for a purpose hereinafter to vbe described. The piston 23 has ders 35' formed upon the interior of the shell yor cylinder 11, and the upward movement of the piston` 23 lmay be limited by bosses or lugsv 36 formed upon the interior of the upper bonnetl. The interior surfaces ofthe shell 11, the ribs 18 and the flanges 19 define chambers which communicate with the cylinder rovided in the upper e'nd of the shell 11, an upon one side of the valve .there are formed two bores 37 which extend point slightly above the ribs 18. conduit 38 is' connected with the two bores 37 and'this conduit is in turn connected to a pipe section 39 to a valve 40. In

' the upper bonnet or end closure 16 there is formed an aperture 41 which is connected by means of a pipe 42 to a 3-way valve 43. A pipe 44`leads frpm the penstock or the `valve is inserted in a v toprevent the opening A l' coming too rapid. In closing the valve, the valve is opened so as to allow the Huid its downward movement limited by shoul-4 through pressure side of the .valve toithel3-vvay valve 43,r and a pipe 45 constitutes a discharge pipe from the 3-way valve 43. 'A pipe 46 constitutes a discharge from the valve 40. y

The operation of the valve isas follows: Normally the 3-way valve 43 and the valve 40 are closed with the closure 21 disposed between the conduits 12 and 13 and the piston 23 at the bottom of its cylinder. By

turning the valve 43 s o as to cut oli' the pressure from the pipe 44 and releasing the pressure within the Shell 11 through the pipe 45, the piston 23 will be caused to rise within its cylinder, lifting the closure l21. This is produced by, leakage of liuid between thev closure 21 and the inner end of the conduit 13. The fluid within the conduit 13 leaks through the clearance between the closure 21 and the flanges 19 of the conduit 13 and escapesvinto the shell 11 belovtr the piston\23.

As the closure 21 is rectangular in section, l

as clearly shown in Fi 3, providing a slight clearance between tie shell 11 and the4 closure, the fluid, which escapes into the shell 11-be'low that portion. ofthe piston 23 which is disposed above the conduit '13, can

escape around the closure-within the shell so as to exert pressure upon the under side 'of the piston .23 which is disposed above the inner'end of the conduit 12. The pressure exerted by the leakage is-suliicient to elevate the piston and the closure and will cause under ordinary 'circumstances a slow smooth opening of the valve. Where the improved a fluid4 under a very high pressure, a throtwithin the shell 11 beneath both s'idesfof the pipe line conducting piston 23 to escape through the pipe 46. v l

Preferably, the branched conduit 38 and the pipe 46' are of a .considerable diameter so that the fluid beneath the piston can quickly escape and any leakage occurring during the closing of the valve can also escape from beneath the piston. At the same time the valve 43 is'turned so as'to admit pressure through the pipe 44 to the shell 11 above the piston 23, forcin the piston into closed position. It will tus be readilyA appreciated that the improved valve employs between the conduits and, the closure for opening it, and that this leakage, being relatively small, will roduce a smooth opening of the valve. T is smoot-h opening of the valve' is highly desirable inzvalves controlling the 'flow of water through a penstock, for which urpose the improved valve 1s primarily designed, although it may be used for other purposes as well.

The advantave of mounting the vpiston 23v within -the lbody `of the valve is that such construction permits the piston to be the leakage nec'ts the piston to the closure.

`ton is reciprocable, isusually somedist'ance above the body of the valve, and a rod con- Because'of the high pressures bearing against the face of the closure, a considerable force isl required to move the closure, and when the rod connectingthe piston to the closureis of a considerable length, it will tend to stretch and in this manner causes jumpingv ofthe closure as it is withdrawn from betweenv the ends of the conduits, tending to produce water hammer and other undesirable results. Mounting the piston 23 upon the top of the closureeliminates this disadvantage.

As previously' pointed out, the interior surfaces of the conduits 12 and 1'3 are ltapered toward each other and the member`v32 1s provided with peripheral apertures 34. The tapered conduits 12 and 13 provide ,a construction very similar to the conventional type of Venturi meter. An aperture 47 is vformed in the bottom end closure 16 and a piezometer may be lconnected to the aperture 47. Another piezometer may be'- connected to the pipe line leading to ,the`

inlet conduit/13; Infthis manner the Venturi meter arrangement is provided upon the valve for determining vthe amount of fluid flow through the valve.' VThe bore 33 `in the member 32being formedv in theclosure can be accurately machined so as to accurately determine the interior diameter and consequentlythe area of the orifice throu h which the fluid iows. The piezometers etermine the pressure of the fluid at the point where it passes through the constricted orifice and also ata point where the interior diameter of the conduit is somewhat larger than thel yinterior diameter of the bore 33. The fluid pressure within the bore 33 is transmitted through the apertures'34 and through the aperture 47 to the piezometer, and in this manner an accurate Venturi meter is associated with the valve.

From the above it is believed to be readily apparent that an improved valve is constructed which is adapted to handle fluids under high pressures and which will overcome certain disadvantages experienced in valvesv of prior construction. Furthermore, a valve is provided, which has associated with it means for determining the amount of fluid flow through the valve when the lvalve is open.

It will be understood thatvarious changes in the detail of construction may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the-invention as defined by the appended claims. y w

I claim: j

1. A valve comprising a cylindrical body,

closures for the top and bottom of said body, a pair of aligned conduits extending into said body having their adjacent ends disposed in spaced relation therein, webs connecting the sides of the conduits to the sides of the body and cooperating with the conduits in defining an upper piston cylinder and 'a lowerchamber in said body, a

,closure adapted to be disposedbetween the adjacent ends of 'said conduits for preventing the` passageof' fluid therethrough, a piston reciprocable in said piston cylinderJand secured directly to the closure, and means for admitting flud pressure to the pistn cylinder upon either side of the piston so as to move the piston and closure.

2. A valve comprising a cylindrlcal body,

closures for the top and bottom of said body,

a pair of aligned conduits vextending into said body having their adjacent ends-dis-I posed in spaced relation therein, webs con-' necting the sides of the conduits to the-sides of the body and cooperating with the con-4 duits in defining anV upper piston cylinder and a lower chamber in said body,'a,closure adapted -to be disposed between the adjacent sage of Afluid therethrough, a piston reciprocable in said 'piston cylinder and lsecured directlyto the closure, means for admittmg -uid pressure to `the piston cylinder upon `of the body and cooperating with the c onduits in defining an upper piston cylinder and a lower chamber in said body, a closu re adapted/to beldisposed between thel adjacent ends of said conduits for preventing the vends of said conduits for preventing the pasf passage of Huid therethrough, a piston.

reciprocable in said piston cylinder and secured directly to the closure, means for admitting fluid pressure to the piston cylinder `upon either side of the piston so as to move the piston and closuregand a meinber havin a passage therethrough secured yto sal closure adapted to assume a/position between the adjacent ends of said conduits when the closure is removed therefrom.

4. AA valve comprising a cylindrical body, a topl and a bottom closure forfthe body, two aligned conduits extendingyinto the body having their adjacent ends disposed in ing their vinterior surfaces converging `toward their adjacent ends, webs connecting' the sides of said conduits 'to the sides ofsaid body defining an upper piston cylinder and spaced relationtherein, said conduits havends of said conduits, a piston reciprocable in said piston cylinder and connected to said closure, a member having`a passage therethrough secured to the closure and disposed in said lower chamber adaptedto-assume a position between the ends of said conduits when the closure is removed therefrom, and

vmeans for admitting fluid pressure to said piston cylinder upon either side of the pis'` ton to produce `movement of said piston,

closure and member, said member having peripheral apertures formed therein, there being an aperture formed in the body commumcating with said lower chamber to which a pressure indicating device may be connected as and forthe purpose described. 5. A valve for pen-stock and the like, comprisingea shell, two aligned conduits extending into the `shell and having their adjacent ends `in spaced relation therein', said shell providing a piston cylinder one end of which is defined by the conduits', a piston '25?ireciprocablev in the piston cylinder, a ,disk

like closure adapted to assume a position between the conduits, said closure being fastened directly against the under side of the piston and means for admitting fluid to the piston cylinder upon either side of the piston -to open or close the valve.

closure andthe inlet conduit to enable Vfluid to pass from the inlet conduit vto the piston cylinderto cause the piston to move the closure into open position and means for moving the piston 1n the opposite direction .to move the closure 4 into closed' position.

In testimony whereof I have name to this speclication.. l f 2 -FREDERICK GFELLER.

- there being a suficient clearancebetween the signed my y i 

